Dispelling nutrition myths, ranting, and occasionally, raving

Planet Fitness, judgement-free or lacking judgement?

A new gym just opened in town and I was considering joining after not having a gym membership for years. I was attracted by the $10 monthly membership fee (that’s less than one visit to Goodlife!) and I thought that it might be nice to augment my running and home workouts with access to more equipment. Even if I only went once or twice a month I figured I’d be getting my money’s worth.

I hadn’t done anything more than toy with the idea though and yesterday my friend texted me suggesting that I write a blog post about them because “they truly don’t have your health at the centre of their business plan”.

Apparently when you enter their facilities you’re met with literal buckets of tootsie rolls at the counter. Their website proudly proclaims “Welcome to Planet Fitness. Home of the Judgement Free Zone®”. Yes, their judgement-free zone is trademarked. No one else can have judgement-free zones. Anyway… I’m passing judgement right here because presenting people who are (presumably) going to the gym to be fit and healthy with buckets of tootsie rolls is certainly devoid of good judgement.

Wait. It gets even better. In addition to the copious quantities of free tootsie rolls, “black card” members are also entitled to such perks as half-price gatorade after a workout. No matter that gatorade is really only worthwhile for endurance athletes and of no benefit to most gym-goers. In addition to the unnecessary gatorade, Planet Fitness also offers weekly “reward” free bagel and free pizza days.

Don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with bagels, pizza (especially not pizza), and tootsie rolls as part of a balanced diet. My issue here is with the clear cognitive dissonance. How does a company that’s supposedly in the business of encouraging people to be healthy and active not realize that promoting the consumption of candy, and using food as a reward, is actually detrimental to the health of their members?

On top of all of the disappointing food promotion, Planet Fitness also offers unlimited tanning for an extra $9.99 a month. This despite the indisputable fact that tanning beds increase your risk for melanoma and the World Health Organization has classified tanning beds as a known carcinogen. They also offer this bizarre “total body enhancement” which is some sort of therapy involving red light that ostensibly results in “fat loss”. Which I can tell you is complete and utter bullshit. For a company that is so proud of being A Judgement Free Zone® that they’ve trademarked it, they sure do push a lot of treatments to transform our “unruly” bodies.

Planet Fitness says in their mission statement that they are, “A diverse, Judgement Free Zone® where a lasting, active lifestyle can be built”. It’s a shame that they don’t take the entire lifestyle into consideration, only the active piece.